Footprints on the Sand
by jakxkeiraaddict
Summary: She was as hotheaded and stubborn as he was stoic and closed-off from the world. Neither expected to fall in love, much less with each other. Collection of Makorra drabbles/oneshots.
1. Annoyance

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Legend of Korra belongs to Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. If I owned it, Masami wouldn't exsist and there'd be so much Makorra fluff it'd make the fangirls' heads explode.**

**So, four episodes in and I'm head-over-heels in love with LoK. I've seen a few drabble series floating around on here, so I thought I'd try my hand at some, too. Most of these will range somewhere between a few hundred and a little over a thousand words, because I tend to have trouble writing short ficlets. All the prompts I've used/will use are from the group #Makorra over on deviantArt.**

* * *

_~Annoyance~_

Mako was about ready to rip his hair out.

He'd just come from a rather taxing session of Pro-Bending training with his teammates, and as usual, his mood had turned sour from the moment he'd walked into the gym. It wasn't the fact they had to practice at the crack of dawn because they were rookies that bothered him, nor was it the pressure of the championships hanging over their heads.

No, it was the newest member of the Fire Ferrets that'd been getting under his skin lately, one _Avatar_ Korra.

Now, there were several things that tweaked Mako's nerves, but this girl trumped them all. He'd never met someone quite like her before, so brash and hotheaded and in-your-face. In less than a month she'd managed to come barreling into his life and destroy nearly every ounce of normalcy she could find.

Today's practice had been one of the worst yet. After the fiasco with the Equalists and Bolin being captured, Mako had stepped up the intensity of their team workouts, both for the tournament's sake and to keep them all fit in case trouble caught up to them again. Korra had been the most perturbed by this, — "I've already got airbending training to deal with twenty-four-seven, Mr. Hat Trick. One person can only take so much, you know." — and she'd made a habit of showing it whenever she could.

They'd been halfway through a three-way sparring match this morning when Korra had lost her focus and gotten the full brunt of an earth disk in the stomach, courtesy of Bolin. While the earthbender apologized profusely, Mako had called her out on her slip-up, snapping at her to pay attention. Of course, Korra'd flared up at him instantly, reminding him for the umpteenth time of the responsibilities she had stacked on her shoulders. He'd jumped to the defense of their team, pointing out how important it was for him and Bolin that they win the championship, and one of their most heated arguments to date ensued.

In the end, both Mako and Korra had stormed out of the gym in a huff, leaving Bolin standing awkwardly off to the side with his mouth hanging open.

Now Mako lay sprawled out on the couch in the brothers' attic apartment, sulking. He'd cooled off considerably since fighting with Korra, but he was still irritated. The Avatar always seemed to rub him the wrong way no matter what she did.

_Why can't she just be easy to get along with for once?_

Heavy footsteps hitting wood interrupted Mako's brooding. A moment later, Bolin appeared at the top of the stairs leading to their modest home, Pabu curled around his neck. He glanced over at the couch and threw his older brother a grin.

"You missed out on the best part of practice." He passed by the sofa and entered their tiny kitchen adjacent to it, heading for the food cupboards. "Pabu and I had a weight-lifting contest. He almost beat me."

Mako grunted noncommittally, staring up at the ceiling as Bolin rustled about nearby.

The earthbender grabbed a few things at random and set them on the counter, peeking at Mako over his shoulder. He frowned as he studied the other boy, noticing — not for the first time — how subdued Mako was. It wasn't like he hadn't always been somewhat stoic, but this was a new level of indifference, even for the firebender.

And Bolin was pretty sure he had an idea what was behind it, probably more so than Mako himself.

A devious plan began to form in Bolin's mind, and he arranged his features into a casual smile, turning back to his food.

"So," he began nonchalantly, "you and Korra really went at it today, huh?"

"Don't remind me," Mako replied crossly, running his fingers through his hair and letting his arm flop over the edge of the couch.

"How come you're always picking fights with her, anyway?" Bolin abandoned his half-formed meal in favor of facing his brother completely. He leaned back against the counter, adopting the perfect mask of innocent curiosity.

"I don't." Mako rolled onto his side, sending a scowl Bolin's way. "_She_ picks fights with _me_."

"Doesn't look like it from where I'm standing. I definitely remember you starting it this morning. And yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that." The corner of Bolin's lips twitched as he tried to smother a smirk. Pabu chittered on his shoulder, almost sounding like he agreed with his human friend.

"I can't help it if she's too stubborn for her own good." Sitting up straight, Mako folded his arms over his chest, silently wondering where Bolin was going with this conversation. "If she wants to argue with everything I say, fine. Not my fault."

"Y'know what I think?" Bolin couldn't hold back his grin anymore. Mako arched an eyebrow suspiciously at him. "I think you _like_ arguing with Korra."

"_Like_ it?" The firebender blanched, looking for all the world like Bolin had just slapped him in the face. "Are you kidding? That girl's _crazy_. I don't even have to do anything and she still finds a reason to yell at me! And then I never win a fight against her because she never backs down! Why the hell would I _like_ that?"

"Oh, I don't know." Spirits, Bolin was having way too much fun with this. "Maybe because you like _her_?"

That brought Mako up short. His amber eyes widened in shock, jaw falling slack as if he'd just gotten the wind knocked out of him. Several seconds passed in which his mouth tried to form inaudible words, thoughts spiraling out of control as a blush crept up his neck and splattered over his cheeks.

_Like her? _Korra_? No, of course not. Bolin doesn't know what he's talking about. I don't like her… I think. Right? But, maybe I do, a little… She _is_ kinda pretty… No. I don't know. I just… what?_

Bolin was on the brink of exploding into laughter at Mako's predicament when his brother finally found his voice again.

"I-I don't — I, um — w-what makes you think I, uh, like Korra?" Mako cursed himself for stammering, hand perching itself on the back of his neck nervously.

"No reason, really." Bolin pretended to be studying a loose thread on his shirt, green eyes glancing up at Mako slyly through his lashes. "Just that I've seen you watching her when you think she isn't looking. Plus you two are always fighting like an old married couple. And then there was that one time —"

"I don't like Korra!" Mako interrupted hurriedly, sparing himself further embarrassment. His face darkened until it was nearly as red as his scarf, and he suddenly found his shoes extremely interesting.

"Pfft, whatever you say, bro," Bolin chuckled, shaking his head and scratching Pabu behind the ears absentmindedly. He shrugged away from the counter, sidestepping his brother as he made his way toward their bedroom, pausing just long enough to lay a hand on Mako's shoulder. "But take my advice; you're not gonna win her over by shooting her down every five seconds. I won't let your sad flirting skills ruin my chances of having little Makos and Korras running around with Uncle Bolin."

A loud guffaw burst from his chest at the mortification written all over the firebender's features. Bolin darted up the stairs before Mako could throttle him, his laughter echoing in his wake.

For several minutes after Bolin disappeared, Mako simply stood frozen in the middle of the room, his head reeling. He refused to accept his brother's words, to consider the possibility that he could —

_But what if I do like her?_

Ugh.

Apparently everyone was out to annoy him today.

* * *

**Honestly I'm a little nervous about this, because I'm not sure four episodes is enough to have gotten a grip on how the characters think... Reviews would be much appreciated so I know if you guys thought anyone was OOC, and then I can try to work on improving that. Thanks~**


	2. Scarf

**Wow, you guys. You have no idea how flattered I am by all the feedback I've gotten in just the last day. Thank you all so much for the reviews/favorites/whatnot. I never expected such a positive response to this~**

**I stole a snippet of information from episode four, "The Voice in the Night" for this drabble, so if you haven't seen it yet, minor spoiler alert. This takes place during episode three, when Mako and Korra take a break from searching for Bolin and talk for a while in the park. When I saw episode four, it irked me a bit that Asami found out about the history of Mako's scarf before Korra did, so here's my take on how things _should_ have happened. Usual disclaimers apply. Read, review, and enjoy, guys~**

* * *

_~Scarf~_

"So where'd you get that scarf, anyway?"

Mako lifted his head wearily, red fabric pooling around his neck again as amber eyes met ocean blue. He could tell she was just trying to change the subject, distract him from the fact that his brother was still out there somewhere, missing and probably terrified.

Never mind that he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it until Bolin was safe at home, out of the hands of the chi-blockers who'd stolen the last of Mako's family from him.

Spirits, if anything happened to Bolin, — innocent, happy-go-lucky Bolin — he'd never forgive himself.

"I've had it for a long time," Mako answered Korra's question vaguely, fingers twisting into his scarf, seeking comfort from its familiar material. Just knowing the scarf was there always managed to calm him down, if only for a moment.

"Funny enough I managed to figure that out myself, city boy." Korra's lips curled into a smirk, to which Mako returned the ghost of a smile. "Seriously, where'd you get it? You never seem to take it off."

Her words opened up a floodgate of memories, stored away in the back of Mako's mind for safekeeping. A pair of strong arms lifting a younger version of himself onto broad shoulders. Laughter, hearty and deep, echoing in his ears. Burying his face in that very scarf, breathing in the scent of the man to whom it'd once belonged.

Later, huddling under a bridge with his baby brother, the scarf tied around them both to help keep the winter chill at bay. Scolding Bolin one day when the earthbender had accidentally gotten mud on it, and spending hours afterwards cleaning it in the stream. Lying awake at night and holding it close to his chest, heart aching for a warmth that was no longer there.

Wrapping it around his own neck after saying his final goodbyes to his parents, his tears dripping onto the worn fabric.

Korra cleared her throat impatiently, dragging him back to the present. He blinked a few times to dispel the images, refocusing on her face. It was obvious she was expecting an answer.

Well, she'd already torn down so many of his walls that night. What harm would it do to break a few more for her?

"It was my father's." Mako's voice was scarcely audible, his gaze flickering away from hers the instant he saw pity enter her eyes. He didn't want her sympathy; he didn't need it. He'd survived without other people for so long, just him and Bolin against the world, that having someone else care about him wasn't easy to accept.

"Mako…"

The way she said his name made his heart twist, laced with so much concern that he almost didn't believe it was Korra who'd spoken. It was the second time she'd addressed him like that tonight, and he honestly didn't know how to handle it.

"I wear it all the time because it reminds me of him." Some part of him felt she at least deserved an explanation, to hear why the scarf was so important to him, though he wasn't sure what compelled it. "It's the last piece of him I have to hold onto. I just feel… safer when I have it on."

A gentle hand laid itself on his arm, and he followed it upwards until his gaze locked with hers again. There was something in those bright blue eyes that sent a pleasant tingle running down his spine, and suddenly he realized he _wanted_ to let her in. Just the fact she was here was reason enough. She'd come to help him even though he hadn't asked for it — told her no, even. She cared about saving Bolin just as much as he did, and she cared enough to listen to him talk about his past.

She deserved to know everything about him.

"I'm sorry." Her fingers squeezed his arm briefly, and somehow he felt more comforted by the gesture than he had from anything else in a long time — not even his scarf.

Without even thinking about it, he lifted his hand and placed it over hers, a wordless expression of thanks.

They remained this way for several heartbeats, locked in companionable silence, before Korra's features softened into a smile.

"What were your parents like?"

Mako smirked to himself, memories flitting through his mind once more, dancing like leaves on the wind. Some of them were faded with time, blurred around the edges, but he told her everything he could. And she listened, something no one else had ever bothered to do before.

He decided he liked having someone else who cared.

For how long he talked after that, he didn't know, but eventually he noticed that Korra had fallen asleep. She rested limply against Naga, quiet snores escaping her throat and a few strands of dark brown hair falling over her forehead.

A chuckle rumbled in Mako's chest at the sight. She looked so peaceful when she slept, the exact opposite of how she normally was. It was almost endearing.

His laughter abruptly halted as Korra began to slip sideways, her head landing on his shoulder and her side pressing against his. Heat automatically rushed up to color his face, but he couldn't quite bring himself to shrug her off. Disturbing her felt wrong, so he simply let it go, exhaustion sweeping over him as the day's events caught up with him.

Cautiously, half-afraid she would wake up and slug him for even attempting it, Mako allowed his head to rest on top of hers, her hair brushing his cheek. The softness against his skin soothed him, and he settled more comfortably into Naga's fur, letting his eyelids drift shut.

And when he woke the next morning, feigning surprise as Korra leapt away from him, more flustered than he could ever remember her being, inwardly he smiled.

Her scent still clung to his scarf.


	3. Selflessness

**Well, I was originally gonna post a happier drabble, but after seeing episode five today, I felt the need to get this written. There was so much going on that my head is still reeling, and I wanted to focus on the fact that Mako was trying to look out for Bolin pretty much the entire episode, even though he was seriously confused himself.**

***This does contain some major spoilers for episode five, so if you haven't seen it yet, I'd recommend you do and then come back to read this later. Usual disclaimers apply, and I promise the next drabble will be lighter and have more Makorra fluffiness~ Thank you so much for all the support so far. Read, review, and enjoy, everyone.**

* * *

_~Selflessness~_

Everything was so out of control.

Korra'd confessed her feelings towards him after their last match, and he'd shot her down flat without giving himself a chance to really think about the situation. Now he was sure he'd never forget the way her face had fallen, the heartbreak that she'd tried to hide swimming in her ocean eyes — not for as long as he lived.

On top of that, Bolin was practically head-over-heels for the girl when she'd already proved she didn't return his affections, at least not to the same degree. The earthbender was just setting himself up for a letdown, and it killed his brother knowing that nothing he said would change Bolin's mind.

And as for Mako… well, he wasn't really sure how to feel about everything. He'd gotten out of his fair share of messes before, but never anything like this. So many different thoughts and emotions were spiraling through his mind that it gave him a migraine whenever he tried to unravel them.

There were very few things Mako could say he was certain of anymore. One was that he was dating Asami, and that he _did_ like her. As to how _much_ he liked her, that was where the problems began. Because as much as he hated to admit it, he liked Korra, too. She was abrasive and rash and way too proud for her own good, but she'd wormed herself into his life all the same, and somewhere along the line, he'd realized he was falling for her.

And that wasn't even the worst of it, not by a long shot. The most gut-wrenching part was watching Bolin and Korra together. His brother always managed to make Korra smile, to weasel a laugh out of her no matter her mood. The two were like peas in a pod. Korra had even agreed to go on a _date_ with him, though clearly it hadn't meant the same thing to her as it'd meant to Bolin.

It wasn't the fact they got along so well that hit Mako like an earth disk to the gut, though. That he could bear, because he knew it made Bolin happy, and what he wanted more than anything was for Bo to be happy.

No, it was the _jealousy_ he harbored toward his baby brother that struck him the hardest. As much as it sickened him, he couldn't deny how his eyes narrowed whenever Bolin would sling his arm around Korra's shoulders, or the ache in his chest when the earthbender talked about Korra like the love-struck teenager he was.

Mako had always tried to do the best for his brother, but as long as Bolin had Korra's attention while he didn't, there would always be a piece of him that would rather put his own interests before Bolin's.

And he hated himself for it.

It was all this uncertainty and confusion that'd led him here, sitting on the steps outside the Pro-Bending arena and struggling to ease his mind before their next match. The night air was a welcome companion, the ordinary sounds of city life lifting the burdens from his shoulders a bit.

Of course, his moment of peace was doomed to be short-lived. He should've known she would find him there. She always did.

Seeing her only managed to double his turmoil with himself, and he scowled as he rose to his feet. A flash of longing hummed in his chest, while at the same time a stab of annoyance tore through his head, and when he spoke his words came out harsher than he'd intended.

"What kind of game are you playing?"

Korra paused in her tracks, arching an eyebrow at him as if he'd gone insane — which, in all honesty, he was starting to wonder if he had. "Uh, Pro-Bending? We've got a quarter-final match?"

"No, I mean with Bolin," Mako snapped impatiently, glare deepening. No matter what he felt for the Avatar, or about his brother spending so much time with her, he knew Bolin had to come first. Bolin always came first. "You got him all in a tizzy and I know you're only using him to get back at me."

"I am not." Korra looked genuinely confused, which lessened Mako's irritation with her, if only by a fraction. "We're just having fun together. What do you care, anyway?"

Oh, if only she knew.

"I'm looking out for my little brother. I don't want to see his heart get broken."

And it was true. He'd spent more than half his life protecting Bolin, keeping him away from danger, from the pain the world could cause. There was nothing that mattered more than the only family member he had left, and if Bolin got hurt because of Korra, he'd never forgive her — or himself.

He just wished the darker side of his mind would stop yelling at him to shove Korra against the wall _right now_ and —

That train of thought came screeching to a halt when he noticed the smirk tugging at one corner of the Avatar's mouth.

"Wait a second. You're not worried about _him_." Despite his better judgement, Mako's pulse kicked up a notch at the mischief glittering in her eyes. "You're _jealous_! You _do_ have feelings for me!"

Damn, why was this girl so good at figuring him out? Somehow his innermost thoughts were always an open book to her, and he just didn't understand how she did it.

_But that still doesn't change anything. I can't do that to Bolin. He deserves better._

So instead of pouring out his heart and soul to her, explaining everything like he wanted to so badly, he played off her accusations like they were nothing.

"What? Jealous? Pfft, don't be ridiculous."

"Admit it, you like me."

Great Spirits, she was going to be the death of him. The challenge in her voice nearly won him over, but the image of what his brother would do if he found out Mako'd confessed to liking Korra steeled his resolve. He could picture all-too-easily the tears brimming in Bolin's green eyes, the betrayal and despair that should _never_ be on his innocent face.

Nothing could ever be worth seeing his baby brother like that, not even Korra.

"No!" The denial in his words sounded false even to him, and he mentally cringed. "I'm with Asami!"

"Yeah, but when you're with her you're thinking about me, aren't you?" He couldn't decide whether that cocky grin of hers was the most infuriating or the most attractive thing he'd ever witnessed. Some combination of both, probably.

"Get over yourself!"

"I'm just being honest!"

"You're _crazy_!"

"You're a _liar_!"

_That_ one struck home. Before he could let her comment unsettle him enough to say something he'd regret later, Mako stomped away from her, heading for the entrance to the arena. Korra spun in the other direction without another word, and Mako forced himself not to watch her retreating form as she disappeared through an entry to his right.

Once inside the building, Mako slumped against the door, running his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. No matter how much he wanted Korra, even with Asami in the mix, he couldn't have her. Bolin was more important to him than that.

Even if it meant breaking his own heart.


	4. Sacrifice

**First off, thanks again to everyone for all of the reviews and feedback. I got a request from** **kmc995**** to do a continuation of sorts for the last drabble that centered around the Makorra kiss/subsequent fight in episode five, so instead of the fluffier oneshot I promised, this is coming first. The next one will definitely not be so heavy, that is a garuntee, but I hope you all enjoy this nonetheless.**

***Contains _major_ spoilers for episode five, so if you haven't seen it and don't want to know what happens, I'd hold off on reading this. As always, usual disclaimers apply. Read, review, revel in the Makorra agnstiness, whatever floats your boat~**

* * *

_~Sacrifice~_

_I can't believe I'm doing this._

Mako lingered at the edge of the tiled walkway, hands shoved deep in his pockets, mind in absolute chaos. Golden light spilled out over the path like a reflection over water, illuminating the figure slouched against a pillar at the far end. Just seeing Korra there sent a tidal wave of emotions cascading over Mako, from anxiety to joy to anger, and most of all, guilt.

Their quarter-finals match had been a disaster. It'd been sheer luck that Bolin had come through for them at the last second, otherwise the Fire Ferrets would've been out of the tournament for good. Mako'd been so focused on his argument with Korra before the match that he'd been a sitting turtleduck, and he could tell the Avatar had been no better off.

The three of them barely had a chance to celebrate their victory afterwards before Korra'd disappeared, making up some halfhearted excuse about needing fresh air. Anyone who'd cared enough to pay attention would've noticed she was still pissed off, so while Bolin had dashed off to Spirits-knew-where, Mako decided to follow their teammate outside.

Finding her had been easy enough, but now Mako hesitated, unsure whether seeking her out had been a good idea. He wanted to patch things up with her, ease at least some of the tension between them so they wouldn't have another catastrophe like tonight. But she was stubborn, especially when she thought she was right. He knew the only way their fight would be truly forgotten was if he confessed his feelings for her.

And he didn't like it one bit.

It wasn't that it wasn't true, — he _did_ like Korra, that much he was certain of — but so much could go wrong if he admitted it. There was Asami to consider, who'd been nothing but kind and generous to him since the moment he'd met her. And then there was Bolin. Mako knew for a fact that Korra liked him, and if he told her the feeling was mutual, no doubt she'd run wild with it and want the two of them to be together.

If Bolin found out, it would break his big, loving, all-too-fragile heart.

_Just get it over with, Mako. It'll be better for everyone in the long-haul. I hope._

Heaving a sigh, the firebender strode towards the girl with her back to him, footsteps echoing in the silence of the night. His resolve hardened the closer he got to her; they needed to settle this once and for all. No more beating around the bush.

Korra showed no sign that she was aware of his approach, and if she was she chose to ignore him. He halted a few feet away from her, another pang of guilt seizing his chest as he wondered what could be running through her head at the moment.

"We need to talk."

She shifted a fraction to show that she'd heard, but otherwise kept her body facing the waters of Yue Bay, probably to hide her expression from him.

Mako took that as an invitation to continue. "Look, sometimes you can be _so infuriating_, but I —"

"Save your breath." Korra's voice was low, defeated. She still refused to look at him, but Mako could imagine the dejection that must've been in her eyes; it was enough to make him want to kick himself for being so stupid. "You've already made it clear how you feel about me."

"No, I haven't." _Not by a long shot._ "What I'm trying to say is, as much as you drive me crazy… I also think you're pretty amazing."

It was almost painful, the way Korra instantly perked up when the words slipped from his mouth. He wanted her to know the truth, and he couldn't deny how his heart skipped a beat when she finally turned to him, hope glittering in that ocean gaze. But some small part of him was screaming sense at him, and it was impossible to quash the feeling that he was betraying his little brother.

"So… you do like me?" The hope was in her tone, too. She wasn't even trying to hide it. Mako wasn't sure whether he wanted to cry or start grinning like an idiot.

"Yes, but…" There was no backing out now. Hopefully Bolin would understand. "I like Asami, too. I don't know, things are complicated. I'm feeling really confused and —"

His speech was cut off by the unexpected pressure of soft lips against his. Mako's entire body froze in place, shock overriding every other emotion as his pulse hammered in his ears.

Gradually, it dawned on him that _Korra_ was kissing him, and a warmth like he'd never experienced before washed over him. It hummed in his chest and seeped into his bones, and suddenly he was kissing her back, his head tilting of its own accord to give them a better angle. Everything else faded out of existence, — his worries, his confusion, _everything_ — until it was just the two of them left in the world, locked in that one perfect moment.

Korra was the first to break away, ending the kiss much too soon for Mako's liking. He blinked open his eyes to be met with two pools of the deepest blue, glittering in the light of the building behind him. Her cheeks were slightly flushed beneath her dark complexion, and he decided rather dazedly that the color looked spectacular on her.

A heartbeat passed in silence, both of them absorbing what had just happened, when abruptly Korra's face fell. Mako needed only a glimpse of the regret darkening her features to realize what she must've seen over his shoulder.

Whipping around, Mako's heart dropped into his stomach when he confirmed his own suspicions. Silhouetted against the golden arena, Bolin stood still as a statue, a bouquet of pink roses in his hands and Pabu on his shoulder. Even at a distance, the hurt in his expression was evident, tears swimming beneath bright green irises.

Before either Korra or Mako had a chance to speak, Bolin spun on his heel and fled, his sobs ringing through the night and piercing his brother like shards of ice.

"Bolin, this isn't what you think!" Mako called desperately, but the earthbender just kept running, the flowers falling from his grip and hitting the ground with a sense of finality.

Mako's breath hitched in his throat as something inside of him shattered into a million pieces.

Fury exploded beneath the firebender's skin, destroying every shred of the happiness kissing Korra had spawned. He rounded on the Avatar, eyes blazing with the fire that threatened to burst from his fingertips. "Great! Look what you did!"

"You're blaming _me_?" Korra demanded, matching him glare-for-glare.

"_You_ kissed _me_!" Mako yelled exasperatedly, jabbing an accusing finger in her face. Some dark corner of his mind wondered if he was being unfair in pushing all the blame on her, but in admitting that he was at fault, too, he would only increase the guilt already eating away at him tenfold.

"_You_ kissed _me_ back!"

Rather than give her the satisfaction of a full-on screaming match, Mako simply snarled at her and stormed off, racing in the direction his brother had gone. There were a few places he knew of Bolin might have run to, and Mako resolved to go check those first to see if he could catch up with the earthbender and explain the situation.

He just hoped Bolin could find it in his heart to forgive him.


	5. Slenderman

**Hey everyone! It's been a while. Sorry this collection here's been kind of... dead. I have a colossal list of Makorra prompts and no idea where to start, nor do I have the time to write them. -_- But I digress, here's just a fun little drabble inspired by a post on tumblr about OTPs playing Slender. For those of you that know about Slenderman, I think you can see where this is going. Enjoy, guys. Reviews are always appreciated~**

* * *

_~Slenderman~_

"Holy crap…"

"Mako, relax. I got this."

"Are you sure? I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Of course I'm sure. Look, I'll even turn off the flashlight. That's how sure I am."

"Wait, no, turn it back on!"

"Someone scared of the dark?"

"No! But now we won't know when he's coming! He could be right behind us! Can you see anything? Because I don't see anything."

"You're such a baby. He's not gonna catch us."

"You don't know that!"

"What happened to the balls you had when we fought Amon? You weren't nearly this scared then."

"This is different."

"They're both evil beings without faces. I don't see how this is different."

"Amon didn't kill people!"

"I wouldn't put it past him."

"Just turn the damn flashlight back on, Korra."

"Ugh, fine…"

Korra jumped back with a screech the second the flashlight flickered to life, and Mako nearly leapt out of his skin. His eyes scanned the trees around them for some signs of pursuit, heart hammering against his ribcage. When he realized all was quiet, he turned to glare at Korra.

"What was that for?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to see your reaction."

Mako rolled his eyes, placing his hand on her shoulder and using it as an anchor to steady his emotions. "Don't do that to me. Do you want me to have a heart attack?"

"I think you'll be having a heart attack on your own in about two minutes, city boy. You don't need my help for that."

"Why's that?"

"Look." Korra jabbed her finger in the direction of a far-off tree, where a slightly crumpled piece of paper was pinned to the trunk. "I found one."

"Shit, no, don't grab it!"

"But I have to. Otherwise we won't win."

"But he's gonna come after us!"

"Mako, calm down, for Agni's sake. I'll protect you, don't worry."

"I'm holding you to that."

Korra wandered over to the tree and shined the flashlight on the note; in faded black ink, someone had drawn a picture of a faceless man, and in messy scrawl around the doodle were the words "Don't turn around".

"Holy shit, just leave it and run, Korra."

"Mako, go put on your big boy pants and come back when you'll actually be helpful."

She snatched up the note with a triumphant whoop, moving around the tree and heading back into the darkness.

A resounding _boom _echoed in the distance.

"Spirits, what was that?"

"Oh, that was him."

"_What? _Dammit, go put the note back, Korra! Maybe he'll leave us alone!"

"I can't just _put it back. _It's mine now."

Another colossal _boom _bounced between the trees. A slightly manic grin stretched across Korra's face.

"Pfft, you think you're so badass, don't you? You can't handle the Avatar. Come at me, bro! I dare you!"

"Don't encourage him!"

"What? It's not like he can hear me." She began spinning around in circles just for the hell of it, the flashlight skittering over tree trunks like a frightened meadow vole. "Bring it on, Slendy! I can take you!"

"Korra, I swear to Avatar Aang, if that thing catches up with us — SHIT. SHIT THERE HE IS. RUN, KORRA, _RUN!_"

"I can't run with the flashlight on, Mako!"

"DAMMIT, STOP TURNING AROUND TO LOOK AT HIM. JUST RUN BEFORE HE KILLS US."

"_Fine_, sweet Yue above, I'll run if that makes you happy!"

"NO, NO, STOP. TURN THE FLASHLIGHT BACK ON. HE'S GONNA SNEAK UP ON US AND I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING."

"_Mako, calm the crap down. _I know what I'm doing."

"SPIRITS, EVERYTHING IS GOING FUZZY. WHY IS EVERTHING GOING FUZZY."

"Maybe if you'd let me keep the flashlight off so I could _run_, things wouldn't be going fuzzy!"

Suddenly, a white, faceless head obscured Mako and Korra's view, followed by a high-pitched screech like a broken radio signal. Static distorted the entire scene, and Mako launched himself away from the computer faster than the lightning he bent. Korra had never heard him scream so loudly before.

She spun around in her chair, draping her arms over the back and grinning at her boyfriend. "You ok, there, tigerdillo?"

Mako looked paler than Slenderman himself, every ounce of color drained from the firebender's face. One of his hands was tangled in his scarf, the other bracing his weight against the wall behind him. His golden eyes were nearly bugging out of his head.

When he spoke, his voice was broken, frazzled; he sounded like he was choking on something.

"We. Are never. Playing that game. Again. _Ever._"

A laugh bubbled from Korra's lips, and she swung one leg over her chair, stepping around it and over to Mako. She placed her hands on either side of his face, waiting until his terrified eyes focused on her, and then she stretched up on her toes to brush a kiss against the side of his mouth.

"Don't worry, Mr. Cool-Under-Fire. We'll invite Bolin and Asami next time."

Mako groaned.


	6. Mistpouffer

**Hi, guys. Look, I actually have an update. Ha... ha. Ahem, anyway, just a fluffy drabble inspired by a prompt from the blog other-wordly over on tumblr. Nothing much else to say about it, really, other than it probably takes place a couple years after the end of Book 1. Usual disclaimers apply. Enjoy~**

* * *

_~Mistpouffer~_

_(n.) a mysterious sound heard over the ocean in quiet, foggy weather_

Waves crashed along the shores of Yue Bay, the tides beating their constant rhythm on the sand as the ocean gradually lightened from deep ebony to soft gray. The sun was just climbing over the horizon, casting its early morning glow over the sleeping streets of Republic City. A cool breeze rolled off the water and over the harbor, carrying with it a layer of fog that blanketed the beaches and misted the city.

Mako sat on the edge of one of the loading docks that stretched out into the bay, his legs dangling over the side, the toes of his shoes skimming the surface of the ocean below. His weight was supported on his hands behind him, his fingers splayed over the wooden platform and gradually going numb from exposure to the chill of the dawn.

It'd been five months.

Five months and sixteen days, to be exact.

Korra had left for Ba Sing Se to deal with some trouble in the inner Earth Kingdom _five months and sixteen days _ago.

And Mako missed her.

More than anything.

She'd gotten word sometime in mid-spring that trouble was brewing between the old Fire Nation colonies near Ba Sing Se, and that the Earth King was requesting her presence to help resolve the issues. And of course, Korra being Korra, she hadn't thought twice about it. It was her job, after all, and she was always striving to prove herself as the Avatar to the world.

She'd told him she would be back before he even had time to miss her. _A week, tops, _she'd said.

Again, that was five months and sixteen days ago. Mako had been keeping track since day five.

Things had been alright at first. Bolin had kept Mako company, as usual, and his job on the police force had kept him occupied. But after about a week, coming home to an empty house every night had started to get depressing, sleeping by himself even more so. Korra had been a spark of life to brighten up his day, and with her gone, everything just seemed so much more… plain.

Mako heaved a sigh, lying back on the dock and staring up at the clouds overhead, their hazy forms dyed a pale pink from the rising sun. He'd been coming out to the bay every morning before work for the past few days, hoping to catch a glimpse of Korra's return. Her last letter she'd sent had promised she'd be back within a couple more weeks, at the most, and so naturally Mako had started waiting for that day ever since he'd gotten the message.

Obviously living with Korra had taken a toll on his ability to be patient. She was starting to rub off on him.

A groan tumbled from Mako's lips, and he threw one arm over his eyes, digging his fingers into the wood beneath him with his opposite hand. He needed to go back home and get ready for work soon. Chief Beifong expected him at the station bright and early to go over some paperwork on an arrest he'd made yesterday.

Of course, maybe that was just her excuse to keep him busy. She knew he was going insane without Korra just as much as everyone else did.

Shaking his head once, Mako resigned himself to the knowledge of the approaching daylight. He clambered slowly to his feet, brushing off the seat of his pants and straightening his scarf around his neck. Hands shoved in his pockets, Mako set his course back along the dock, his footsteps reverberating in the quiet air of the morning.

Suddenly, a low, almost indistinguishable noise — he couldn't quite put a name to it, but it somewhat resembled a ship's horn — echoed from somewhere out over the ocean, muffled by the fog. Mako froze in his tracks, one foot half-raised to take another step, his head tilting in the direction the sound had come from.

A beat of silence passed, and then the noise rumbled through the stillness in the air again, slightly louder this time. Mako spun around on his heel, hope flaring in his chest and warming him to the tips of his fingers and toes. It was definitely a foghorn, that much he was certain of now. And he wasn't leaving until he found out just who was on that ship.

His eyes scanned the gray horizon for some sign of the approaching vessel, squinting in a vain attempt to see through the mist. He rubbed at his frozen nose irritably, trying to bring some feeling back into it, his breath rising around his face in translucent clouds.

An eternity seemed to slip by in quiet; the morning felt suffocating now, rather than comforting, as anticipation seized Mako's chest and made it difficult to breathe.

Mako had counted forty-six drums of his pulse in his ears when, finally, a dark shape emerged from the fog, slightly blurred but most definitely a ship. His entire body stiffened, muscles locking into place and fingers curling into fists at his sides. The bellow of the vessel's horn reverberated through the harbor again, but Mako didn't dare approach the end of the pier, in case he'd worked himself up for nothing, and this wasn't Korra's ride home after all.

It wouldn't be the first time.

By the time the ship had actually reached the end of the harbor, and was mooring on the exact dock where Mako was standing, Mako's legs had started to go numb from staying in one position for so long. He wasn't sure when he's started holding his breath, but he was beginning to feel a bit light-headed, so it must've been a while. Even so, he kept the air lodged in his chest, his gaze fixed on the side of the ship as its colossal door was slid aside, and its passengers started to disembark.

He saw Naga first.

She was hard to miss, really, the way she came barreling onto the pier the second she spotted him, her excited barking ringing in the still morning. A rather strange yelp, half of surprise, half of joy, tore from Mako's throat as Naga pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. She stood over him and showered his face with licks, and he shoved her massive head away amidst his laughter, wiping the slobber off his cheeks with his sleeve.

"Well it's good to see you too, Naga."

The polar bear-dog barked again, sniffing at his hair affectionately as she stepped aside to allow him to rise to his feet. He straightened his clothes, reaching out to scratch Naga behind her fluffy ears. She hummed happily, her tail whipping back and forth with enough power to knock a grown man flat on his face.

Chuckling to himself, Mako glanced around Naga's hulking form, heart skipping a beat when he spotted a splash of blue making its way toward him along the dock. His fingers froze, still buried in Naga's fur, and he hardly registered her butting her head against him, begging for more attention.

A split second passed in which Mako's eyes met with those two pools of blue he'd been missing so much — and then Korra was running.

Mako barely had the chance to blink before he was being tackled again, though it was much easier to stay upright when it was from a teenage girl rather than a polar bear-dog. Korra threw her arms around Mako's neck, her face buried in his jacket, her familiar warmth sending jolts of electricity coursing through his veins. He picked her up without a second thought and spun her around, laughter bubbling from her lips and swelling in his chest.

He set her down gently, and then pulled her as close as physically possible, practically crushing her to him, her head tucked under his chin. Her scent wreathed around him, salt water and crisp winter winds and something so distinctly _Korra_ that it made his knees weak and his heart melt.

The two could only bear to stay like that for a moment, and then Korra was stretching up on her toes, Mako was tilting his head downward, and they were kissing like they hadn't kissed since she'd left. Korra's fingers snaked their way up the back of Mako's neck and into his hair, and Mako cradled her face between his hands, running his thumbs over her cheekbones, molding his lips to hers like they were made to fit together.

All around them, the world seemed to fade away into blissful silence, until there was nothing left but just them. Everything else just ceased to matter, ceased to exist, because she was finally _home._

Spirits, Mako had missed her.

The firebender had almost forgotten what air was when he and Korra finally separated, both breathing heavily. Mako leaned his forehead against hers, arms tight around her waist, a dopey grin playing around the corners of his mouth.

"So I take it you whipped the Earth Kingdom into shape?"

Korra snorted, tugging on his short hair teasingly. "Of course. Those old windbags on the King's council never knew what hit 'em."

A chuckle rumbled in Mako's throat, and he leaned down to press his lips to her neck; his next words ghosted over her skin, and the shiver that rolled through her only made his smile widen.

"Welcome home, Korra."


End file.
